Academic conversations create lifelong learners who believe they have a voice in the conversation of ideas. Jeff Zwiers’ book provides novel and effective means to equip teachers with the tools to promote academic conversations, writes instruction director Kelley Pujol.
After detailing the processes and skills needed for math, the authors discuss how the Student Enrichment Model may be implemented in a wide variety of environments, writes educator Michael Hernandez. New to SEM, he finds lots to use in his math and algebra classes.
Infusing more writing into science, math and social studies doesn’t have to be difficult – or require content teachers to grade like English class. MS science/ELA teacher Jeremy Hyler describes his Science Notebooks, used in a variety of ways with students year-round.
This term Mary Tarashuk’s 4th graders will be ranging through time and cultures to expand their grasp of what the world is like beyond their suburban lives. She intends to help her future citizens, and herself, become more historically, racially, and culturally literate.
Although we have always known the importance of teaching vocabulary, there’s been a recent surge of interest in teaching academic vocabulary across the content areas. Author Barbara Blackburn describes three strategies she recommends to help make the new words stick.
Every chapter of School Improvement for All starts with commentary about how to determine vision versus reality, outlines ways to get from one to the other, and then provides concrete tools and steps to follow as a plan of action, writes NBCT Kathy Pham. A true guide to PLC success.
Future of History / US Constitution
by Sarah Cooper · Published 01/06/2020 · Last modified 04/17/2024
Sarah Cooper is always searching for ways to strengthen her eighth grade unit on the Constitution. This year she deepened her exploration of iCivics and found visually appealing readings and games her students enjoyed. She added sparkle with video and other fun activities.
Principal Rita Platt is learning to sign, both to communicate with a new student and to renew her empathy for the hard work we ask students to do every day. She also has a fresh appreciation for learning targets. “Seeing the purpose of our work is critical to motivation.”
When we give in and teach students to “write for the test,” Brent Gilson says, we force them into a writing box that many kids come to hate. Learn how he’s reinventing his writing instruction so students discover their truth, expressed through their own words and ideas.
With unprecedented levels of stress among adolescents, and promising new research from leading institutions, there’s never been a better or more crucial time to implement mindfulness practices into middle school classrooms, says author-consultant Dr. Thomas Armstrong.
